Wire-stretcher



B. J. GREER.

WIRE vSTRETCHEH. APPLICATION FILED uowzs, 1920.

Patented Aug. 30, 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

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WIRE STRETCHER. APPLICATION FILED uovnze, 1920.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BENJAMIN J. canine, or PoYNnR, 'rnxAs.

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To all whom it may concern: 7

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN .J. GREEK,

a citizen -of the United States, residing at Poyner, in the county of Henderson and State of Texas,have invented a new and useful Wire-Stretcher, of which the following isa specification.

This invention relates to wire .stretchlng devices employed in fence construction for stretching and temporarily holding the wire between the fence posts, while the same is being secured. a

A further object of the invention is to provide a combined operating lever and gripping jaw, whereby the increased pressure on the operating lever' during the stretching operation, increases the gripping action on the wire, to insure against the Wire slipxping.

still further object of the invention is the provision of novel means to permit the device to be readily and easily clamped around a fence post or the like, to anchor the structure against movement, while. in use.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which willappe'ar asthe description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, may be made within the scope of what is claimed, without departin from the spirit of the invention.

Tieferring to the drawings Figure lillustrates a plan view of the stretcher constructed in accordance with the present invention, the same being shown as secured to a post.

Fig. 2 illustrates a view looking at one edge of the stretcher. I

Fig. 3 illustrates a sectional detail View of the stretching drum, one of the disks thereof being removed. a Referring to the drawings in detail, the frame of the stretcher includes a pair of spaced bars 5 and 6, which are connected as by means of the bolts 7 and 8. that pass through suitable'openings provided in the spaced bars and secure the bars in suitable spaced relation with each other.

Operating adjacent to one end of the bars is a stretching drum which includes disk-like members 9 and 10 which are supported in through the hub 11 and having its ends ates. f

At one end of each of'the bars 5 and G, is a segmental rack 13 which racks are disposed Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Aug. 30, :Appfication filed November as, 1920. Serial No. 426,479, T i i 4 sitioned 1n suitable openlngs 1n the side bars 5 and 6 on which the stretching drum open in spaced relation'to permit of the passage of the operating arms 1 therebetween, which operating arms are provided with suitable pivoted pawls 15 adapted to cooperate. with the teeth of the racks for restricting movement of-the stretching drum in a reverse direction, during the stretchingoperation.

Angularly disposed notches 16 are formed in the disk members 9 and 10, the notches .of one disk being arranged directly opposite the notch of the opposed disk, the inner end of each'notch being curved to provide 'a seat for thelaterally extending pins 17, formed adj acentto one end of the respective operating arms 14. 1 t

As shown, the inner end of each operating arm. is curved as at 18 so that the same will have agripping action with the hub 11, when a wire is being stretched, the action of the arms 14 being such as will cause the curved portions 18 thereof to wedge the wireunder operation, and which is indicated by the reference character 19, into close engagement with the hub'll of the stretching drum and eliminate movement of the wire over the drum, when the same is moved in one directlOl'l; i 7

Supported by the frame,is a clampingdevice by means of which the stretcher may be secured to a fence post, and this clamping device includes pairs of opposed clamping arms 20 and 21 which are pivotally connected .to the bars 5 and 6 of the frame as by means of the shafts 22, the pivot point being substantially intermediate the ends of the arms ends produces a movement at the opposite ends thereof in opposite directions.

The inner ends of the arms are hooked as at 23 so that the same will embed themselves in the post to which the wire is being applied to prevent movement of the clamping arms with respect to the post during the stretching operation. Secured to the opposite ends of the arms is a spreading'shaft 2 1, which shaft is provided with oppositely disposed threads operating through suitable threaded bushings 25, so that rotary movement of the shaft will move the outer ends of the arms 20 and 21 toward and away from each other to cause a movement of the hooked ends thereof. r

In order that the spreading shaft may be operated, a wheel 26 is provided, which wheelmay be grasped by the operator to facilitate the movement of the shaft 24. A plurality of openings 27 are provided in the respective bars 5 and 6,which openings are disposed in spaced relation with each-other to accommodate the shafts 22 to permit of adjustment of the arms toward and away from each other adapting the device for usewith posts of various diameters.

In the operation of the device, the arms 20 and 21 are clamped into engagement with a; fence post, and the wire under operation is secured to oneof the posts of a fence, the portions of the wire adjacent the opposite end thereof being positioned over the hub 11 of they stretching drum. One of the handles is now positioned on the stretching drum, so that the lower curved extremity thereof contacts with the wire.

It follows that as the handle is moved to rotate the stretching drum in a clockwise direction, the wire is gripped between the arm 14 and the hub 11, the intermediate portion thereof being stretched. It is obvious that when the first arm 14L has moved a predetermined distance, a second arm 14 ispositioned in one of the notches of the drum, and this arm is likewise moved to rotate the stretching drum in a clockwise direction.

I Vhen the drumhas been rotated to properly stretch the wire, the pawl 15 of the handle portion employed to give the stretching drum its final movement, falls into engagement with the teeth of the rack bars 13 to hold the wire against movement while the:

same is being stapled to the fence posts.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is .1. In a device of the character described, a frame including a pair of spaced arms, pivoted arms carried by the frameand having hooked members formed on the inner ends thereof, the latter arms adapted to. be

clamped around a post, means for securing the latter arms against movement, a stretching drum, and operating arms adapted to be connected with the stretching drum for clamping a wire thereto. r

2. In a device of the character described, a'frame, pivoted arms carried by the frame, clamping members carried by the frame, means for moving the clamping members into engagement with the fence post, a stretching drum carried by the frame, said stretching drum including a hub, operating 'restrlcting movement of the operating arms.

3. In a device of the character described, a frame mcluding spaced bars, clamping arms supported by. the spaced bars for clamping the frame to a post, a stretching drum supported between the bars adjacent to one of the respective ends thereof, said drum includingdisks, a hub for sup orting the disks in spaced relation said dis s having notches formed in the periphery thereof, operating arms, each of said operating arms having lateral pins adapted to be positioned within the notches, said arms adapted tov clamp a wire to the hub, and-means for restrictingmovement of the operating arms. 7

4:. In a device of the character described, a frame. comprising side bars, arms having hooked ends pivotally. supported by the frame, an expanding shaft having c'onnec 7 for clamping a wire to the drum, and means for restricting movement of the drum in an anti-clockwise direction- 6. Ina device of the character described, a frame including spaced bars, pivoted clamping arms carried by the spaced bars, an expanding shaft having connection with the arms, said shaft having oppositely disposed threads, bushings carried by the arms through which the shaft operates, a wheel formed integral with the shaft intermediate the ends thereof for operating the shaft, a

stretching drum supported at one end of the frame, means for clamping a wire to the stretching drum, and said means adaptcd to rotate the stretching drum.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto afliXed my signature in the presenceof two witnesses.

BENJAMIN J. GREER. VVitnesse's: a

C. L. Hoenn, IV. c TAYLOR. 

